Srinagar, Dec 29: Barring Qazigund, minimum temperature across Kashmir valley settled below the freezing point on Wednesday with famous ski-resort of Gulmarg recording a low of minus 10.4°C.
Quoting a meteorological department official, news agency GNS reported that Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, recorded a low of minus 2.3°C against last night’s 1.4°C.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
The mercury settled at the world famous resort of Gulmarg at minus 10.4°C against minus 9.4°C on the previous night.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had a low of 0.6°C against minus 0.4°C on the previous night, he said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 6.6°C against minus 7.9°C on previous night, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 0.4°C against minus 2.5°C on previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 3.2°C against minus 1.0°C on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu, the J&K’s winter capital, saw a drop of nearly two degrees Celsius than precious night, recording a low of 5.0°C which is minus 2.4°C below normal for the place during this time of the year, he said.
Ladakh’s Leh had a low of minus 14.7°C against last night’s minus 14.0°C while automatic Kargil station recorded a minimum of minus 14.3°C. Drass in Kargil, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 17.4°C, the official said.
The weatherman has forecast mainly dry weather in next two days.